Fed Delivers Gloomy Economic Outlook

The Federal Reserve, gave a bleak outlook for the U.S. economy, saying that while it expected a “gradual recovery” to begin later this year, significant risks remain.

“Industrial production, housing starts, and employment have continued to decline steeply, as consumers and businesses have cut back spending,” the Fed said in the statement. “Furthermore, global demand appears to be slowing significantly.”

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues are battling a three-headed economic monster: crises in housing, credit and financial markets that — taken together — haven’t been seen since the 1930s.